This invention relates generally to collection and dissemination of sporting statistics. More specifically, this invention relates to a system and method of real-time collecting, generating, manipulating, storing, reporting, and disseminating of statistics for a sporting event.
There are many methods of manipulating and presenting sporting statistics known in the art. Most of the known methods, however, collect the data used to process those statistics in similar ways. Individuals watch the sport and record events and information about the players involved in the events, generally after events happen. Even though portions of the process have become automated to some degree, and event recording, in some instances, is performed at times closer to the occurrence of the events, significant event-related information must generally still be provided later, especially in fast-paced sporting events such as basketball, soccer, and hockey. Events are generally still recorded first, followed by later recording of information about the players involved in these events and additional details. Then these recorded events are compiled into statistics. Such methods and systems employed are susceptible to human error, and subject to a delay, even when portions thereof are more automated and closer to real-time.
What is needed, therefore, is a system and method for real-time data collection, manipulation and reporting that is more robust than the traditional systems and methods and which provides traditional statistics as well as desirable, previously unattainable, statistics. There is therefore a need and market for a method that collects sporting event statistics which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art, especially one that is capable of collecting and providing information and statistics in near real-time.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method of compiling and disseminating sports performance information and statistics accurately in near real-time, and including statistics that have not been readily available before.
Still other objects, advantages, distinctions and alternative constructions and/or combinations of the invention will become more apparent from the following description with respect to the appended drawings. Similar components and assemblies are referred to in the various drawings with similar alphanumeric reference characters. This description should not be literally construed in limitation of the invention. Rather, the invention should be interpreted within the broad scope of the further appended claims.